How does AIRS recommend organizations evaluate their community impact?

The recommendation for organizations to evaluate their community impact through surveys, feedback, and outcome assessments is grounded in the understanding that these methods provide comprehensive insights into the effectiveness and reach of programs. Surveys and feedback mechanisms allow organizations to gather direct input from the community they serve, which is crucial for understanding the needs, satisfaction, and overall impact of their initiatives.

Outcome assessments, on the other hand, help organizations measure specific goals and objectives that they aim to achieve, providing quantifiable data that can show how well they are meeting the needs of their community. This approach also enables continuous improvement, as organizations can analyze the data collected to adjust their programs or services based on community input and impact findings.

Relying solely on financial expenditures, social media metrics, or community partnerships might not provide an accurate or complete picture of an organization’s impact, as these methods do not directly assess the experiences and outcomes for the community members who are the primary beneficiaries of services. Thus, utilizing a mixture of surveys, feedback, and outcome assessments offers a more robust and effective framework for evaluating community impact.